8-April 2012 the anniversary of my 36th year on earth and my 1st day as a DMT. I arrived in Phuket last night came out from the arrivals hall. As I passed out through immigration I kept my head down, turned right and ignore the 20 guys trying to usher me into there private cars. Save yourself some money there is a taxi stand at the end 450THB to Patong the rates are fixed and you don't have to be worried about paying too much.
The ride in the Taxi was amusing, 2minutes out from the airport the diver picked up is girl friend! She did not offer to pay half the fair, such is life. I would not mind but the nattered away to each other the whole way. When they finally stopped talking to breath the driver got a call on his mobile and started nattering away again! Lucky I am not easily bothered by stuff like this.
Tip for Taxi's in Thailand:Make sure you have the number of your hotel or they might have trouble getting you there my driver had to call three times to figure it out!
So anyway 1st day of my blog and I am already getting off topic! Cannot promise there will not be more Digression. So anyway back on track & lets get wet. Picked up from my budget hotel 650THB / night plan too stay a while have to find the boss and talk about a discount for long stay, let see what happens keep you posted. 7:30 am in the mini bus and Giel who is marked as my instructor starts singing Happy Birthday(didn't hear much applause just a gong half way though). Then we are off to the Pier. We are asked to remove our shoes as is the custom for a dive boat and are ushered aboard and greeted by the instructors. For me a whirlwind introduction around a bunch of the staff for the Dive company. I'm diving with Sea Fun Divers this trip, the boat is in pristine condition compared to others I have seen in past trips diving and the staff are as professional as I've see from 1st impressions.
A little rough on the way out to Phi Phi perhaps due to the stormy weather last night. One victim of the techni-colour yawn, a small girl. Feeling a bit queezy myself but somehow I am ok I have been in rougher conditions but I am still sometimes sick when the boat rocks, not nice but the diving makes up for it I am always fine once in the water.
The Dive sites are Koh Bida Nok and Maya Bay, Bida Nok is a beautiful site I have been there before. Its colourful and relatively unaffected by coral bleaching from high water temperature in other areas. Diving with Giel and two young girls doing there open water course. The younger a fore mentioned puke victim barely gets down from the surface before indicating that her ears are a problem, tired and sick just not in the mood maybe she goes back to the boat. Meanwhile I keep an eye on her friend for the instructor he is back in no time and we start the dive. Lots of life small things to see nudibranks and other life are abundant and the coral is beatiful. Instructor leads the way and I follow closely behind the student to keep an eye on things as instructed.
The second dive site Maya Bay is also lovely this time I follow Borris and another beginner with a camera, I'm a photographer myself haven't taken my hobby underwater but I can say some dive photographers are a menace, they can be inconsiderate and careless at times only focusing on the photo. Hope I'm not like that. This guy was not that bad just enthusiastic and a little unaware as beginners can be.
Met a nice couple from Hong kong an Israeli guys and his girlfriend, I think she was Spanish or of Latino descent. The Israeli was a character he told me about his invention a kind of camel pack so he can drink a little Diet Coke while he is diving! Quite funny, your mouth does get a little dry sometimes, not sure I will put it on my list of need to have gear.
The return Journey is uneventful and the ocean is as calm as I have seen, barely a ripple on the surface except for whats made by the boats and occasional flying fish skimming the surface. Maybe my favorite fish I love watching them glide inches above the surface of the ocean.
My training I can tell has not started in earnest yet, just a nice day diving to ease myself into the swing of things. Dead tired from the flight and my last week of work before coming hear I sleep early, log like ZZZzzzZZZzzz.
The ride in the Taxi was amusing, 2minutes out from the airport the diver picked up is girl friend! She did not offer to pay half the fair, such is life. I would not mind but the nattered away to each other the whole way. When they finally stopped talking to breath the driver got a call on his mobile and started nattering away again! Lucky I am not easily bothered by stuff like this.
Tip for Taxi's in Thailand:Make sure you have the number of your hotel or they might have trouble getting you there my driver had to call three times to figure it out!
So anyway 1st day of my blog and I am already getting off topic! Cannot promise there will not be more Digression. So anyway back on track & lets get wet. Picked up from my budget hotel 650THB / night plan too stay a while have to find the boss and talk about a discount for long stay, let see what happens keep you posted. 7:30 am in the mini bus and Giel who is marked as my instructor starts singing Happy Birthday(didn't hear much applause just a gong half way though). Then we are off to the Pier. We are asked to remove our shoes as is the custom for a dive boat and are ushered aboard and greeted by the instructors. For me a whirlwind introduction around a bunch of the staff for the Dive company. I'm diving with Sea Fun Divers this trip, the boat is in pristine condition compared to others I have seen in past trips diving and the staff are as professional as I've see from 1st impressions.
A little rough on the way out to Phi Phi perhaps due to the stormy weather last night. One victim of the techni-colour yawn, a small girl. Feeling a bit queezy myself but somehow I am ok I have been in rougher conditions but I am still sometimes sick when the boat rocks, not nice but the diving makes up for it I am always fine once in the water.
The Dive sites are Koh Bida Nok and Maya Bay, Bida Nok is a beautiful site I have been there before. Its colourful and relatively unaffected by coral bleaching from high water temperature in other areas. Diving with Giel and two young girls doing there open water course. The younger a fore mentioned puke victim barely gets down from the surface before indicating that her ears are a problem, tired and sick just not in the mood maybe she goes back to the boat. Meanwhile I keep an eye on her friend for the instructor he is back in no time and we start the dive. Lots of life small things to see nudibranks and other life are abundant and the coral is beatiful. Instructor leads the way and I follow closely behind the student to keep an eye on things as instructed.
The second dive site Maya Bay is also lovely this time I follow Borris and another beginner with a camera, I'm a photographer myself haven't taken my hobby underwater but I can say some dive photographers are a menace, they can be inconsiderate and careless at times only focusing on the photo. Hope I'm not like that. This guy was not that bad just enthusiastic and a little unaware as beginners can be.
Met a nice couple from Hong kong an Israeli guys and his girlfriend, I think she was Spanish or of Latino descent. The Israeli was a character he told me about his invention a kind of camel pack so he can drink a little Diet Coke while he is diving! Quite funny, your mouth does get a little dry sometimes, not sure I will put it on my list of need to have gear.
The return Journey is uneventful and the ocean is as calm as I have seen, barely a ripple on the surface except for whats made by the boats and occasional flying fish skimming the surface. Maybe my favorite fish I love watching them glide inches above the surface of the ocean.
My training I can tell has not started in earnest yet, just a nice day diving to ease myself into the swing of things. Dead tired from the flight and my last week of work before coming hear I sleep early, log like ZZZzzzZZZzzz.
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